New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu says the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has a “double standard” when it comes to the term “Chinese Taipei”.
Chinese Taipei is the designation Taiwan uses in many international settings to avoid the sensitive issue of its political status. These settings include the annual World Health Assembly (WHA) forum, where Taiwan has participated as an observer since 2009.
Health Minister Lin Tzou-yien used the term throughout his address to this year’s assembly on Wednesday. President and DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen later said that this year’s delegation took part based on principles of expertise, pragmatism, and contribution.
But on Saturday, Chu said that this constitutes a double standard on the part of the DPP. He said that in past years, the DPP has criticized his party, the KMT, for using the term.
Chu said that in the past, the DPP has criticized use of “Chinese Taipei” as tantamount to “a loss of sovereignty and a humiliation to the country”. The DPP has also said that the term belittles Taiwan’s stature.
Chu said that there should not be double standards surrounding the use of the term “Chinese Taipei”. He also said that the KMT should not be criticized for using a term the DPP uses as well, as long as as it insists that Taiwan’s position receives respect.